Le Chalet Basque Restaurant

Fabulous taste, great atmosphere

If you want to take a quick vacation without going anywhere, this is really the place. You will swear you're in a different country for the length of your dinner.

Drove here from the wine country to attend an event nearby. The outside patio is lovely. Was excited for all the Basque dishes listed on the menu on their website. To my surprise, there was not a single Basque dish on the limited menu that was provided. The service was incredibly slow and forgetful. (I arrived at 5:05 PM and was literally the only person there for the first 25 minutes). I ordered the shrimp in garlic butter. Shrimp were rubbery, swimming in a sort of milky white sauce. The side vegetable was wilted broccoli and cabbage, plus some sort of Rice-A-Roni looking rice that was weird. I typically have one glass of wine with dinner, but had to order two as these were tiny pours. There was a vegetable soup that was fantastic and the warm bread basket was absolutely terrific.Too bad they provided hard, foil wrapped, individual pats of butter to go with such delicious bread. Overall the experience was incredibly disappointing. I would’ve left the moment I saw the menu was misrepresented but I had no time to look for another restaurant. I was late to my event as the waiter kept disappearing or forgetting to bring the wine, the check, etc. Do Not Recommend.

The food was absolutely delicious! The staff are great. Very nice atmosphere. Loved listening to the live saxophone player.

Le Chalet Basque
The Basque Chicken! The Lamb Shank! The Service! The welcoming environment! What more could you want in a 2nd generation family restaurant? Owner/Chef Patrick is the real deal as is his team. Whether I am there on my own or hosting a tour group of 50 folks - this place is a winner. Full bar, patio dining, 2 dining rooms and parking. Just a few minutes from 101 and the Marin Civic Center in San Rafael on N. San Pablo Dam Rd. Don't be a stranger. Le Chalet Basque is worth your time and money - not to mention your taste buds. If I am there for business, I even get the lamb shanks to take home for husband's dinner and he is thrilled. Thank you Patrick. Looking forward to the next time!

They said they no longer use open table and did not have a reservation for us. Fortunately they were able to seat us.

Relatively inexpensive Christmas dinner out. Soup, salad outstanding. Paella dish delicious and amazing for the price. Steak worth what paid for.. Quarter inch thick, but without the advertised Bearnaise sauce, was just a piece of meat, not tough, not delicious, but adequate. New York Cheese cake wasn't New York Cheese cake, but enjoyable. Needed some fruit to make it worth eating. On the other hand, it was an amazing meal for the price, and the wait and reception staff were friendly and efficient.

Chalet Basque is the perfect place for a cozy dinner, as well as the place to mark a special occasion. The food is impeccable and the service is attentive and lovely.

We were in the neighborhood and saw the restaurant. I am so happy we decided to go. Everything was so great. The special was sand dabs in a heavenly lemon creamy sauce to die for.

Kid-friendliness: Special kid friendly menu.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Frog Legs, Side Salad, Potato Leek Soup

Most recently was there for Thanksgiving, so it's hard to judge for just a regular evening. But on that night the food was fantastic and the service great.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Hidden gem, off the usual path. Can be quiet for date night, can be rambunctious. A local joint where everyone knows everyone else... 1960s vibe

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: French Onion Soup, Soup of the Day

We hadn't been since COVID and we're please to see it was just as good as always.

My Thanksgiving Turkey dinner tasted good but it was a little odd in that instead of turkey slices with gravy, it was more like a stew with little pieces of turkey in the gravy and I had to keep picking out little pieces of turkey skin. The stuffing tasted good but it was like a dense slice of meatloaf. The cranberry sauce was too sour. The salad and potatoes were uninspired. The service and the ambience were great though.

We had a great dinner as always at Chalet Basque! Been going there for years, never disappoints! The bartender Stephen made great drinks and the food and service were wonderful! We love the Chicken Cordon Bleu with the cheese sauce!! Yum!! Soup and Salad is included to round out the great entrees! Patrick and his staff made for an enjoyable evening!!

Inside and out, the atmosphere was light-hearted and simply tasteful. With a garden setting on a breezy Saturday afternoon, we were greeting promptly, enjoyed delicious house burgundy and salads and listened to a talented singer guitarist 🎶 .

Atmosphere: 5